IUKA– Tishomingo County’s premier event, the Iuka Heritage Festival, will kick off its 27th year this Labor Day weekend in the streets and parks around downtown Iuka.

“We’re looking forward to a great time at the festival this year,” said festival committee member Martha Biggs. “As always, the festival is the highlight of our end of summer celebrations in Tishomingo County.”

For the first time in it’s history, the festival will be held on Friday and Saturday.

“We’re allowing vendors to setup and sell for on Friday and Saturday,” said Biggs. “The community service event will be held Friday night instead of Saturday like in years past.”

Festival committee member Sandra Medlin said she is excited about the festival’s theme this year, “Come Home to Iuka.”

“Our musical entertainment lineup for this weekend matches our new theme,” Medlin said. “We decided to book all local talent from North Mississippi and the surrounding areas. We think folks are really going to like seeing their friends and neighborhoods on stage this year.”

On Friday night, the music kicks off at 7 p.m., in Mineral Springs Park. The lineup features Chuck Clark and Dale White, The Masters Quartet, Unity 4, Jack Allen Jones, 5th Street Drama Team, Iuka First United Pentecostal Church, Ignite, Iuka Baptist Church and Roy Chambler.

Food and craft vendors will be setup at both Jay Bird Park and Mineral Springs Park on both days of the festival.

“We have a great variety of vendors this year. More than six states will be represented,” said Biggs. “The festival is a great time to start early Christmas shopping.”

On Saturday, the entertainment starts at 9:15 a.m. The lineup includes Unity 4, Chuck Clark, Dale White, Teresa South, Lisa Lambert, Anna Kate McElhiney, Mac Milligan, Gloria’s Line Dancers, BritnyToth Pitman and Esther Brown. SRX will close out the festival with their performance at 6 p.m.

The annual car show will take place Saturday in Jay Bird Park, while the tractor show will be set up beside the Old Tishomingo County Courthouse museum.

Other activities include inflatables and games for the kids and the Rizpah Railroad Shriner train.

There will also be a marriage and vow renewal celebration held on Saturday at the Old Tishomingo County Courthouse.

“The Iuka Heritage Committee really appreciates the support we have been given by the community,” Madlin said. “Without our sponsors and vendors we would not be able to put this festival on each year.”

In recent years, the festival has featured period themed events and Civil War reenactments. This year the committee has moved those events to the Battle of Farmington-Iuka Reenactment weekend scheduled for Sept. 19-21 in Iuka.